Now, fifteen hundred, horse and man, Reel at the word of one! Loosed by the brazen trumpet's peal-- Knee to knee and toe on heel-- Troop on troop the squadrons wheel Outbrazening the sun! WITHIN a fortnight of the outbreak of the mutiny, men spoke with bated breath about the Act of God.

It burst at the moment when India's reins were in the hands of some of the worst incompetents in history.

A week found strong men in control of things--the right men, with the right handful behind them.
Some of the men in charge went mad, and were relieved.

Some threw up their commands.

Some of the worst incompetents were killed by the mutineers, and more than one man who could have changed the course of history for the worse were taken sick and died.